I took a stab at adapting/reimagining the Fred Wolf TMNT episode “The Gang’s All Here”, replacing most if not all of the original dialogue, addressing a few plot holes, and adding in an original romantic subplot

I put together a version of this in the past, but with a little more experience and a few new ideas, I’ve chosen to revisit it. Think of this one as the “Page One Edit”, named so because we get to find out just what “page one” and that whole deal with the leaf was all about before the episode ends, rather than wait for a filler pre-titles when you reach Rings of Akaten.

You might think I’m robbing Clara of any and all intrigue by tossing in her origin at the very end of this episode, but not only does her character have very little of that to begin with (as well as any sort of trait to go along with it), I thought it makes for a nice little subversion of the triumphant way the original cut ends, with The Doc having gained a new companion and the thrill of new adventure and mystery on the horizon. Here, he solves the mystery and is utterly perplexed by it. I think that serves as a better ending…don’t leave it with the feeling the Doctor WILL get to the bottom of things, point out very clearly that he CAN’T.

A mystery The Doctor can’t solve makes us worry, and makes us wonder. That is how you kick off a new series of adventures, that is what we call a jumping on point.

In addition to the new ending, I’ve gone in and added the prequel minisode from the series seven DVD as part of the pre-titles. While it’s a little too on-the-nose and doesn’t add much, I still think it’s a nice refresher course if you’re not too familiar with this stretch of the series or Clara.

A few scenes have been rearranged too. Clara accessing the wi-fi now comes before the helpless man’s ominous warning to the internet community, and I removed the whole talk about the Woman Twice Dead and The Doctor’s madness to better seaugeway into him receiving the phone call.

This edit mergers the first episode of Doctor Who’s tenth series with three other episodes from that particular series, removing all the pretentious teasing of what’s inside The Vault that goes ultimately nowhere and has an obvious reveal handed to us within minutes of the episode

Extremis is the first part of the Monk trilogy, which really isn’t that much to write home about, other than virtually any scene that includes Michelle Gomez. It is that scenery chewing that compels me also to use the last few precious minutes of “The Lie Of the Land”, the conclusion to the trilogy, as a coda to this episode, replacing the original ending with The Doctor trying to wipe Bill’s mind of her adventure.

I’ve also decided to insert Bill and her friends finding a new house to live in from the episode “Knock, Knock”. This particular plot point doesn’t actually go anywhere in this edit, it’s just a nice little set up that gives us more of a slice of life with Bill, plus I like the atmosphere of Bill with mates more than putting up with her step-mum.

CHANGES

– Begin with original pre-credits scene from “The Pilot”
– After titles, we play some footage from “Extremis”
– “Knock Knock” footage takes over after Missy tells The Doctor to let her live
– Just as Bill is hesitant to sign the contract to move into the house, we cut to The Doctor’s “Time” lecture. Producer and director credit scenes cut
– We cut to “Extremis” footage after The Doctor says “It means life”
– We cut back to “The Pilot” after Nardole tells The Doctor he can kick his arse
– We cut back to “Extremis” after the Puddle establishes the link with the pilot
– White flash cross fade from “Extremis” to Christmas at the University in “The Pilot”
– Cut Heather meeting Bill outside the university and repeating what she says
– Cut the TARDIS landing in Australia
– Last of the “Extremis” footage plays after Bill notices her tears
– “Lie of the Land” ending used as final scene

There really isn’t a hell of a lot of point to the sexism deflection that this episode pads itself out with. Within the context of current history, I suppose there’s some fleeting relevancy, but Doctor Who ought to be timeless, and it’s characters should not be dragged down into political soap boxing, however subtle or unsubtle. This is what has killed the show for many a true fan, and as much as I still love the show, it does make me cringe a little too. It’s like attending a council meeting with your parents on a Sunday, reminding you of the real world awaiting you in the week ahead. What happened to weekend/holiday escapism?

So no, as I found out, the sexism need not exist at all, as you’ll find here…pretty minimal edit all the same, nothing too radical, just keeping it tightly focused on the adventure and not the agenda.

CHANGES

-Pre-titles are now the aborted regeneration sequence from “The Doctor Falls”

-Ben and Polly cut. On top of their “Nu Who” versions contributing little to the story , I never was a fan of the weird aspect ratio fidgeting.

-“I am younger” exchange removed

– References to Twelve as a nurse removed, also the exchange about the brandy and guitar are omitted as well as the sexist remarks about Polly

-Classic Doctor no longer says “sunglasses? Indoors?”, I found the initial reaction when he sees them better than anything spoken afterwards and it informs the audience of how he feels anyway

-We cut to Twelve putting the sonic shades on after Bill says she used to travel with him

-Cut Bill’s initial reveal as a member of Testimony. I hold it back a bit longer just for more of a shock reveal.

-First Doctor’s regeneration to Patrick Troughton cut in an attempt to, for one, avoid the aspect ratio fidgeting, and “fix” the continuity error of the Doctor collapsing before he opens the TARDIS door to let Ben and Polly back in.

Shortened Capaldi’s exit speech considerably. Decides to regenerate after he realizes the universe will get it all wrong without him.

Also, I chose to omit Jodie getting booted out of the TARDIS, partially because I intend to open my fanedit of her first episode with a reprise of the final scene of this episode, and when that happens, THEN you’ll see our feisty female cope with free-falling.

So long Moffat, off you go to give Dracula some bite…just don’t give him a cavity.

Louise was once taught in class that nobody ever opened a sentence with “Dammit”.

Within life’s many dramas, that expression had to be earned by whatever form of consequence occured to warrant it.

She was hanging upside down on the swing when she spotted the cause of potential problems headed her way, and she felt like now was one of those instances where the exclamation was deserving.

“Hey Louise” said Rudy.

“Oh hey there Rudy. Keeping things regular?” Louise asked, refusing to change her posistion, even if the blood was steadily rushing all the way to her face. She’d hoped he’d spot the red in her face and assume she was in a prickly mood and walk away.

He did’nt budge.

“Nothing out of the ordinary. Seems that sums up all of the last year” he said sollemly.

“Oh I’m sure it’ll pick up soon” Louise replied.

“I heard you had a belter of a valentine’s night out. Everyone’s talking about what Tina and your driver did to Jimmy Junior. You’d had a make-up job too, like you’d exorcised the demon right out from under the nose of the Balor club” Rudy continuecd.

Louise twiddled her fingers mischevously and let out a cackle.

“The sisterhood were quite bewitching that night” she said with some pride in her voice, this seemed to cheer Rudy up.

Louise could feel her tension dissapating, which caused her slight concern as well as relief. She realized her next question would dictate the mood of the conversation. She was fearful it would lead to ackwardness and tension, but she felt compelled to ask anyway.

“How was your valentine?” she said.

“Oh” Rudy replied, looking up at the sky, curious to see if it’d start raining once he began to vent.

“No luck on the kissing or dating front this year” he said.

Louise sighed and straightened herself up on the swing. She urged Rudy to come sit beside her on the opposite swing.

“C’mere you” she said.

Rudy sat down and looked quite down. Louise wanted to slap herself for noticing how sad he was, but she knew the time had come to talk.

It’d been a year since the kiss.

“How far away are you?” she asked.

“Glad you noticed how distant I’ve been lately. I’m not out of reach, I’m just out of options”

“Don’t say that, you’re closer than you think” Louise replied.

“In what way?” Rudy asked.

“Look, I told my Mom a big fat lie about our school play, how it was a western, and that you were the Sheriff and me your partner, and I built you up as a real brave character, someone I’d take a bullet for”

“You’ve been thinking about me in commendable ways? I thought the only way I mattered after our kiss was with my head on a MOST WANTED list”

“Oh you make that list alright, just in a different way” Louise joked.

“I can taste it you know, that raw slap you gave me. It was like Iron” Rudy replied.

“I bruise easy don’t I?” Louise continued.

Rudy looked at her sternly.

“Other people, yes” he continued

“Well you backed me into a corner that day…I did’nt want to just reveal how I felt, in case you…you know…”

“Became insistent? Don’t worry Louise, I respect how you are about the mushy stuff. You have no time for it” said Rudy in a defeatist tone.

Louise clutched his hand tightly.

“You never know…we all get a little older, and a little crazier, with each passing year. You’re right, I don’t have the time, but you can give me a little more time y’know?”

“There’s always valentines next year I guess” Rudy said.

“Just make sure you keep one thing in mind, while not every guy happens to be Jimmy Junior, you know what happens to those who are, so you be on your best behavior” Lousie replied, giving Rudy a fierce elbow.

“Wow, you do bruise easily” said Rudy, rubbing his right shoulder tensely.

I’M SAFE IN MY RETREAT
The beats aren’t so erratic
The doomsday clock no longer ticks
I confess to friends all my concerns
Thier advise always clicks
But still I don’t heed their warnings
My fate is with my needs
I give in to the medication
I’m safe in my retreat